One of the best things about being a writer is getting paid to do research and read interesting material. I found this fascinating article today while doing research for a client: Recurring Final Exam Dream – You Forgot You Were Taking the Course.
From the article:
If you’ve had ‘the dream’ related to school, you know exactly what it is.
This is the dream where it is the day of a final exam, and you realize that you forgot you were taking the course and therefore had not attended any of the classes, did not do the reading, and you are certainly are not prepared for today’s test. Other variations include your having attended some of the classes, perhaps at the beginning of the semester, and then you just forgot about the class until the day of the final. It was not intentional, but somehow just happened.
With all the commonalities and differences among us, my very informal, essentially conversational “research” suggests the dream is common to the past two to three generations in the United States and other countries with educational systems that emphasize high stakes formal written tests that determine your future academic opportunities.
Other common components shared by many, not all:
- The dreams don’t start until high school and may not start until college is completed.
- The subject is one the dreamer found difficult, often math, English, or science, but the failure to attend the class was not intentional.
- Many dream the added dilemma of not being able to find the exam room or having to go to the bathroom.
- Most people wake up without ever entering the room, seeing the exam, or having any outcome, resolution, or consequence, yet with the sense is the outcome will be quite bad.
- The classroom door is closed, and frequently wood, some with wired safety glass windows on the door.
- Most people are dressed normally, but some are in pajamas or nude.
The article goes on to discuss the possible meanings of The Dream.
I’ve had The Dream. Many times. For me it is always the end of a quarter of college and I realize that I completely forgotten to go to one of my classes for most of the quarter. Sick, sinking feeling in stomach ensues along with near panic at the realization that it is too late to do anything about it. And I am bewildered how I could have possibly forgotten about one of my classes.
But one weird twist for me is the last time I had it a few months ago, I knew in the midst of it that it was The Dream and I told myself it wasn’t true. I haven’t had it since. So I’m waiting to see if I do have it again.
So have you had The Dream? Does it fit the description of the article? Is it a college dream? The article indicates it usually happens to college graduates and generally starts after college.
So very fascinating!